Best Unexpected Food List

These are the foods you don’t expect to find in SE Asia, but you found them, and they were delicious.

     1.     Best Waffle: Dots Café in Kuching, Malaysia

                The heavy Chinese influence in Kuching has made the food here excellent. Waffle shops are a craze, and this tasty peach special from Dots Cafe is right on par. 

2.     Best Guacamole: Yar Pyi Vegetarian Restaurant in   Bagan, Myanmar

I            I expected to find exceptional vegetarian food in Myanmar, but not guacamole! This   was fantastic, with a uniquely tart flavor and special seasoning. 

3.     Best muesli: German Bread & More in Hua Hin, Thailand

             This muesli can be found at the B&B run by a lovely German couple in Hua Hin. Usually muesli is served dry with mil or yogurt, but here it was a delicious creamy porridge with bananas and other fresh fruit. 

4.     Best airplane food: fish curry at Bangkok Air Yangon to Bangkok

            I know it doesn't look like much, but this was the best airplane food I've ever had. The curry was restaurant quality, the glass noodles were tangy and spicy. The coconut cake was moist and sweet. It really doesn't get better than this. 

5.     Best instant coffee: Luwak coffee in Bali, Indonesia

            This Kopi Luwak came from a package and was served to me at the morning market in Ubud. I love this coffee, complete with cream and sugar. Luwak coffee is $50/cup in the U.S. but in the Ubud market it's mere pennies. 

6.     Best instant tea: Sunday 3 in 1 in Myanmar

            While Bali wins the award for the best instant coffee, Myanmar does it right with instant tea. Here's a little secret: my favorite restaurant in Bagan serves amazing Myanmar sweet tea, and when I asked for their recipe, then told me they use Sunday's instant tea. Well, I found some at the market and sure enough, it was the very same. I have not seen it sold anywhere outside Myanmar, but if you have the chance, take a few packets home. 

7.     Best coffee: Marble Arch coffee, Chiang Mai, Thailand

             While Chiang Mai boasts many special coffee places, the Marble Arch Coffee at Marble Arch Cafe is surely my favorite. No need for creamy or sugar, this rich, sweet, smooth drink is perfect as it is. 

8.     Best Ice Cream: Celano Caramel Vanilla, Vietnam

                I did not know ice cream could be so good until I had a Celano bar. Vanilla ice cream covered in a chocolate-caramely sauce with almonds is just too good to pass, even though it is more expensive than a Bahn Mi! 

Two Afternoons Teas in Chiang Mai

I've been an afternoon tea aficionado for years, but on my trip through SE Asia I had all but abandoned my goal of having high tea in each location. I was simply not anywhere long enough to justify the search, and with so much other great food and so many other great experiences to have in each city, it seems like a waste time and money to invest in an afternoon tea experience.

When I realized I would be spending a substantial amount of time in Chiang Mai, Thailand, I reconsidered my plans to skip high tea. Maybe I would have time after all. Maybe Chiang Mai has a world-class teahouse which is unique enough to sample.

Enter Vieng Joom On. The hands-down winner of afternoon tea on the internet. So I pulled up the location on Google maps, pinned it in my phone and packed my purse for a long walk to the other side of town.

After walking for an hour, I arrived at the location on the map, but it wasn’t Vieng Joom On. Not even close. I checked my phone map multiple times, and sure I am there, but Vieng Joom On is not. This place was called The Flowery Home, and at this point I had to use the bathroom and wifi so bad that I decided to go in and order a drink.

Few words can express my shock upon entering. This place is a craft store-meets-antique shop-meets-restaurant. It was absolutely exploding with fake flowers and gaudy displays. It was also empty of people. I felt like I had made a mistake walking in, but a young man soon greeted me and handed me a menu.

As I browsed their selection, I noticed that they offered a high tea as well, and theirs didn't look all that bad. I was exhausted and sweaty and wanting to avoid more hours of harsh sunlight, so I decided to stay and take a chance on their tea set.

This was the best decision I made all day. Not only did I have a very lovely and filling meal, which included fish sauced chicken wings of all things, but I also got to explore this unusual business.

Still set on going to the real Vieng Joom On, I picked up a wifi signal and kept searching. Google maps now placed it nearby, on an entirely different location than the one I originally saw on the screen. So I walked down the street and after four failed attempt and nearly giving up, I finally arrived at the real Vieng Joom On.

This place is famous for its scones, evidently the best in Chiang Mai. It also had a lovely ambiance, sitting next to a water fountain outside, with curtains blowing in the wind. I felt like I was at a wedding reception.

The scones and lavish teas were excellent, but I'm glad I ate at The Flowery House before. 

Have two teas in one day was a bit extreme, even for my taste, but I'm so thankful I got to experience these very different places in the most serendipitous way.